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Friday, September 22, 2017

I've always been driven and clever enough to manoeuvre myself through society, but I think we've all been through points in our life where we're maybe a little lost, eager to fit in and not really sure of how to make anything work in our favour. So, speaking as a 29 year old woman who's been through most of the life experiences the world has to offer someone in their 20's, I thought I'd have a stern talking to my 22 year old self.

Get ready for some hard truths. Here are 5 things I wish I'd known when I was 22:

People won't take your career seriously yet
It's not because you're still baby-faced, it's not because you're a man/woman, it's purely because they know more than you do and they've been doing it a lot longer. They've been climbing the career ladder since you were in primary school. You need to earn your place. Learn from your peers, listen to their advice and guidance. The more receptive you are, the faster you'll climb. You're not too good to get coffee, you're simply at the bottom of the ladder and rightfully so. Give it a few years, work your ass off, and earn your place.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

I'm a savvy spender, I love a bargain and you'll rarely find me paying retail. If I buy a $2 pen and it doesn't work, I will take it back. I work hard for the money I earn and in my household, money waste isn't allowed.

However, I am a big advocate for treating yourself and also spending money wisely. Finding the balance between saving and splurging is what keeps me on track with my savings. If I cut out all of the little things I enjoy, I end up spending more money on useless items. Conciously spending money on 'treat' items removes the money guilt and won't impact your financial stability.

Keep reading for the 5 things I always splurge on, and then develop and little list of your own.

Coffee
I flat out refuse to drink instant coffee. A bad brew sets me up for a bad day - I can't help it. Buying coffee each morning isn't so much about the coffee itself, it's more just a little thing I give myself each morning. I love good coffee, I value it, I sip it slowly and treasure it. That's an intense reaction to coffee, I know. I tried cutting it back, just using my Nespresso machine at home but it wasn't the same. Instead, I just downgraded my Alto Cappuccino to a Grande, saving $1.20 a day, and I now buy coffee regularly without any spending guilt.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

As of last Saturday, the 1st of July, 2017, I officially live in the state with the highest electricity prices in the world. That's not a typo or an exaggeration. South Australia has the highest electricity prices in the entire world.

We all hate bills, but it's just a bit more sour knowing that you and your neighbours are paying a higher rate than every single other person on the planet. First world problem? Sure. Unfortunately that doesn't make it taste any sweeter.

To commemorate this occasion, I figure there's no better time than to give away a few of my money saving, electricity saving life hacks.

Grab a coffee, switch off your lights, and read on for 10 ways that you can cut down your winter electricity bill:

Change your light globes
One of the easiest things you can do to cut your electricity bill down is to replace all of your old light globes with LED lights. A 60 watt globe can be replaced with an 8 watt LED and provide the same amount of lumen's (brightness). The higher the watts, the more it costs to run. You can find LED lights that will fit your existing light fittings at your local hardware store or at most supermarkets and department stores. I replaced all of the lights in my house with LED globes as soon as I moved in, it cost me about $70 to buy the globes but will cut hundreds off of my electricity bill.Bonus tip: I think it goes without saying that you should turn your lights off when you leave the room, but so many of us still leave lights on - myself included. Work on making it a habit.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Whenever I mention gut health, people start flinching and trying to change the topic. I think it's because the word 'gut' sounds kind of abrupt and gross, but I promise you, it's necessary.

Your wellbeing starts in your gut and maintaining healthy guy flora is essential to your over-all health, but what if you don't know the state of your gut health? Here are 5 signs that your gut health is failing you, see my previous post for 5 ways to improve your gut health.

1. Lethargy
If you're having trouble focusing or feel foggy after a meal and would rather just have a nap, there's a good chance that your gut flora is out of balance.

Friday, May 5, 2017

General consensus among friends is that we're not all that great with money. No matter what our income is, we all seem to be living outside of our means. Maybe it's just by a little, or maybe you're racking up credit card bills so quickly that you're considering having that little pay-wave chip inserted directly into your fingertip. Reality is that we're all spending too much and not saving enough. When you're in a puddle of debt it can be hard to find a way to crawl out. I've put together a list of ways that you can start saving money right this instant, the first in an upcoming series of money articles to help you figure out your finances.

See below for five easy ways to start saving money today:

1. Unsubscribe from mailing lists
The whole point of mailing lists is to get you to impulse buy, they're designed solely for this reason. If big, flashy '20%' off headers or 'Limited Edition' plastered across your screen is tempting to you, scroll further down to the bottom of the email and click that 'Unsubscribe' button. You won't forget to buy new jeans when you need them or a new mascara when you're running low, you don't need emails tempting you.

Monday, May 1, 2017

There are times when we're all over worked, over tired and over it all. Whether you're working full time, raising a family or over loading your schedule, we all need to take a step back, inhale a deep breath and take a moment to re-energize. We all fall off of the good health wagon sometimes, it's inevitable, but it's important that we jump right back on.

I'm not about to tell you anything you don't know, but we all get a little off track sometimes so this is your gentle nudge in the right direction. Five little reminders to but your health in the front of your mind:

1. Eat Well
Health starts in the kitchen. Even though I sound like a broken record, what you eat really does play a major part in your health. I'm not just talking about not eating junk food. Picking the right foods is the easy part, making sure you're getting an appropriate amount of all your macro and micro nutrients is where it gets tricky. I highly recommend using a micro and macro nutrient tracking app like Cronometer to see where your fall with your vitamin and mineral intake. You could eat a fresh, healthy diet and still be missing out on important vitamins and minerals. An annual blood test will also let you know what your body is lacking and where your diet can improve. Hitting micro and macro nutrient goals is the first step to great health.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Your gut is the centre point of your overall well being. Your gut flora comprises roughly 80% of your immune system, as well as regulating your metabolism, protecting you against infection and helps your digestive system function. Your gut is full of good bacteria but some times the scales can tip and your bad bacteria starts to kill off the good.

You want to make sure that your healthy bacteria always out-weighs any bad bacteria that lingers in your body. Here are 5 easy ways to give your gut a little love:

1. Increase your pre and pro-biotics
Kombucha and other fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and sour-dough bread, are rich in pro-biotics and are the best way to balance your gut bacteria. You can also take them in supplement form if fermented foods aren't for you. I drink Remedy Kombucha (half a bottle) most days and regularly supplement with products from The Beauty Chef.